While I help marketers build their growing businesses, I’m also Marketing Chief for my company. Thought I’d share the marketing tools that help me produce attractive content for my growing audience. A copywriter doesn’t work alone. Well, yes, she does, but she also relies on great tools and platforms.
Here are the resources I use every day, beyond a spiral notebook and a pen (staples!).
✪ Mindmeister (and Coggle) for brainstorming
Some links may be affiliate links.
A copywriter’s daily life consists of brainstorming. Head games are a given. I’ve found creating mind maps an effective way to reveal a bounty of fresh ideas.
Trouble knowing where to go after you write a to-do list? I learned from why from Tom Kelley, co-author of the book, Creative Confidence. A to-do list has its place, but mind mapping helps you get your thoughts recorded, then clarify the tasks to write on a to-do list.
Since incorporating Mindmeister, I rarely experience writer’s block. I create a mind map for articles I plan to write (like this one). For a recent project, I created possible names for a digital healthcare product designed for pregnant women. I opened the mind mapping tool to jot down ideas in one place, then see how the phrases interplayed. h / t to Anne Hickle.
A basic account is free and offers up to 3 mind maps. You can share and collaborate with others too. I use mind mapping for project planning, ranging from my live tutorial sessions to planning our family holiday celebrations – Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Coggle is another choice, by Google, offering free and paid plans. (affiliate link)
With the free version, you can make collaborative mind maps & flowcharts, including:
- 3 private diagrams
- Unlimited image uploads
- Auto-arrange branches
- PDF & Image download
✪ Evernote for the ease of advancing to a paperless existence
For the best note-taking, capturing my ideas, and organizing them, I use Evernote. Let me sing its praises! I clip interesting articles and web pages to feature in my content. I also collect image screenshots.
Wish your handwritten notes were handy online? You can take pictures of handwritten pages, then search and find the text in the captured handwritten notes. I love how I can record ideas on my phone while II walk and the info syncs to my laptop. Niiicee!
Evernote is a cache for gathering research for my blog articles, assembling customer opinion data, and storing resources for a client project. Storing my files in one organizational hub is handy. In a single location, I upload the research deep-dives I do as part of my process.
✪ Superior Word Choice Assistance – All free! Free for all!
When I need a word to describe the moment, I check out Merriam-Webster. I haven’t used a hardcover dictionary in years. Besides a dictionary, you have access to a thesaurus, sentence examples, and links to explore similar words and definitions. If you’re a wordsmith, you could easily fall into a rabbit hole of content – be forewarned! Perhaps the hardcover dictionary would be less distracting?
When I desire to delve into every possible synonym, I visit Power Thesaurus. Life saver! h / t Arlene O’Reilly, Trainer and Consultant, Really Clear Marketing. You can douse your sentences with dazzling words. For example:
(Before) You can stand out among your competition by using the right word from this comprehensive thesaurus.
(After) You can shine among your opponents by engraving the precise word onto the parchment from this encyclopaedic thesaurus.
WordHippo When you’re QUICKLY looking for antonyms, synonyms, rhyming words and word game helpers. Just fill in the search bar at the top of the webpage.
✪ Awesome Screenshot for screen capture and screen recording
I’m among 2 million users who think this app is divine. h / t to Andy Crestodina, Cofounder, Orbit Media Studios. Before Awesome Screenshot, I experienced glitches obtaining a screenshot with other tools. The images would be blurry or crop important info. This app has worked perfectly. I’m also using the screenshots in my live tutorial sessions. I’m saving the screenshots in Evernote, sharing them with clients, or posting the images in my content. Available free or paid.
The free version perks:
- 1-Click to take a screenshot
- Annotate a screenshot with various editing options
- Share a screenshot
- Record both screen and camera (5 minutes recording on free plan)
✪ Copywriting Help for getting marketing done
For copywriting projects at Seely Marketing Communications, I hire myself (😊)
Do you need copywriting help? Then you can hire me too. Get specific copy for your audience, make progress on a project, and relieve your stress, all at the same time. Hand over your copywriting projects to me and √ off your Copy To Do list.
See if the service is right for you.
✪ Excel Checklists for EVERYTHING!
Failing to remember what you need to do because you have three major projects occurring simultaneously? I don’t keep my to-do list in my head. I surrendered to Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for project management. I’ve created checklists broken down in project phases, like gathering information, researching, writing the first draft, editing and proofreading. (Copywriters do so much more than write!) So helpful to keep track and meet deadlines. By relying on Excel, I can use my brainpower as a revved-up-creative, idea-generating machine.
I use Vertex42 spreadsheet templates for calendars, checklists, budget, and project management. Here’s a useful New Resolution Checklist I use to help me establish long-term good habits.
✪ WeTransfer for large files
As a copywriter, I appreciate the copy on their website explaining what they do:
“Transfer large files, like videos for free. No account required.” And “It’s the simplest way to send big files around the world.”
Yes, you can send up to 2GB for free!
✪ Feedly for hunting and gathering content
Ahh, Feedly, where do I begin?
“Feedly is a news aggregator application. It compiles news feeds from a variety of online sources for the reader to customize and share with others. The resource allows the user to collect, read and share new content from your favorite websites, blogs and feeds,” according to Wikipedia.
I love Feedly because of its convenience. Think of the resource like visiting the library reading room, but in your pajamas with your pets at your feet. Visit one site for (almost) all content. Easiest way to keep informed. I love sharing valuable articles with clients.
For my busy day, I can see updates on topics I care about, save an article to read later, and follow sources my clients are reading.
✪ WordPress for website / blog
WordPress is what I built my website on. I planned the pages and wrote the web copy. I think it’s easy to use. About 43.3% of all websites use WordPress, according to W3Techs. WordPress is an awesome blogging platform, website builder, and content management system.
What are some tools you can’t live without?
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